Living Simply in Small Spaces

Filter Studio

A new prefab building we’ve developed at Camera Buildings in Vancouver. While it’s not intended as a home, it might be of interest to your small house readers since it is adapted from tiny house experience and is the first part of our ongoing prototype series, which will include another two buildings, both tiny houses.

Tiny (107 sq. ft.) and prefabricated, Filter Studio is designed as an easy way to add beautiful, useful space to an existing home. Drawing on tiny house experience, it can be installed in many locations as an accessory building without requiring a building permit due to its small size and does not need to be mounted on a trailer like a tiny house since it is not a dwelling.

A hand-made cedar screen is its distinctive feature, filtering both the view and light and enabling a broad expanse of windows to provide ample natural light while also creating a sense of enclosure. Both the rain screen cladding and louvered cedar screen are designed to age gracefully, fading to a natural, weathered grey. Low-VOC finishes, solid hardwood floors, and LED lighting are standard.

Thanks! A Filter Studio costs $25,000. Shipping to Australia depends on the exact location, but generally speaking it might cost $5,500 to deliver to an Australian port. You can see more information at http://www.camerabuildings.com, and if you have any questions or would like to order, please feel free to contact us at +1 604 306-0718 or contact@camerabuildings.com

John. You said it is an accessory building, not a “dwelling”. What is the threshold to be classified as a dwelling by your municipal government? I do not see an electrical panel in your photos; is your panel inside or outside the building?

Lovely and interesting art box! But other than glorious storage or a short-term man-cave or office (no toilet or sink), how could it be functional as a guest room, as one commenter wants to do? Finally two thoughts: 1. Do almost flat roofs (noted 2 percent slope & waterproof liner) really work in places that experience regular rainfall? Assuming no damage that would puncture the liner, will the roof be leak proof in, say, 3 years? 2. What a major joy if the upper part of the lovely fixed cedar screen would be adjustable to vary incoming light!
Respectfully submitted,
Whitworth Deen

Filter Studio is customizable, so if you’re looking for a guest room, get in touch and we’re happy to help. To your other questions:

1. Yes! Flat roofs can be used successfully in rainy places. We are based in Vancouver, for example. The expected lifespan of this kind of roof is 20-30 years.

2. An operable screen was definitely considered! In the end we decided on fewer moving/breaking parts, but if we found a good solution for an operable exterior screen we would try it out – let me know if you find something!

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